I’m staying in Warsaw until 11:00 tomorrow when I move on to Berlin, so I have a full day to explore the city. The weather’s gorgeous with clear blue skies. The temperature is due to hit 21 degrees, so I’m out exploring. My first destination was the old town which was half an hour’s walk away. That time wasn’t wasted as I got to see the more of the modern city. I have to say, I’m impressed with Warsaw. The quality of its transport infrastructure puts many UK cities to shame. Especially the provision for cycling. But then, that’s been true of all the major cities I’ve visited on this trip so far. They’ve all managed to wean themselves off the idea that the only way to get around it by car – and they’re all much nicer places for it. Unfortunately, there’s still a mindset in Britain that car’s should come first and any attempt to provide safe and attractive options for pedestrians and cyclists is an ‘attack on the motorist’.
i made it to to the old town early, so as to avoid the tourist hordes. Most bars and restaurants were still closed which gave me the opportunity to take pictures of nearly empty streets. The architecture and artwork of the old town is gorgeous, even more so when you realise that it’s been painstakingly recreated. During world war 2 the old town was razed to the ground by the Nazis in retaliation for the Warsaw Uprising. 85% of it was destroyed. There’s many plaques on buildings explaining their significance during those awful, brutal times. I’ve a whole selection of pictures to edit when I get the time, but here’s a few for now.
After experiencing the darker side of human history I encountered something completely different. I hadn’t realised, but Warsaw was hosting the annual international tram driving competition. Imagine ‘it’s a knockout’ with trams! Teams form 26 countries (including the UK, who sent a team from Croydon) compete on various challenges which show off their skills in driving trams. It’s wonderful. Warsaw had turned it into a big event with displays of old trams and buses and lots of family activities. Thousands of people turned up.
Tram skittles!
the event was so much fun that I changed my plans to hang around, watch and take pictures. Next year the event is in Luxembourg in July.
Right, that’s all for now. The flaky wifi here in the hotel won’t let me add more. I’ll (hopefully) blog from the train to Berlin tomorrow.
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Typical! The day the rain stops is the day I’m on the move again!
I was woken early this morning by the sound of military jets in the skies above Vilnius. It’s easy to forget that the Lithuanian capital is only a few miles away from Belarus, part of Russia. The Russians have been getting increasingly aggressive in their attitude towards NATO countries. Sending drones and sabotage teams over various countries borders. The idea that Putin is no threat is not one that’s held in the Baltic states. The Ukrainian flag is on display everywhere around town. Even the buses carry this message on their PIS screens.
As my train didn’t didn’t leave until 12:20 I had time to have another wander around the old town, only this time in the sunshine. Here’s a couple of pictures.
I do love a good market and this one in the old town is redolent with the smell of smoked meats, pickles and spices. Many buildings could do with some TLC. Plenty are receiving it – just not this one, yet.My train to Warsaw, which is of the same type that’s taken me all the way from the Estonian border, through Latvia to here. This particular services runs all the way to Krakow, via Warsaw with a change of train at Mockava.
14:05.
We’ve stopped twice on the trip so far. First at the busy junction and freight yards at Kaunas, where we picked up so many passengers that we’re almost full – then at the small town and junction of Kazlų Rūda. My table bay of four now has three occupants, of which I’m one. But, I have a window seat, a power socket and wifi, so I’m content. We’re gradually leaving the built up and more industrial areas behind to head out across open fields, which makes a change as the railways in this part of the world are often hemmed in by trees. I’ve just watched a pair of deer bound away from the tracks!
My fellow passengers seem to be mostly locals of all ages with a smattering of older travellers like me. The atmosphere is relaxed and the two young women stewards both helpful and efficient.
We’ve just called at the wonderfully ornate station at Marijampole. The station building is a delight. The area also boasts extensive freight yards full of grain wagons (there’s some massive grain silos here) and tank wagons – although I haven’t got a clue what they carry. Lithuanian railways are fascinating as (unlike the UK) most industrial sites still have a rail connection. Some are disused, but they still exist.
15:25.
We arrived at Mockava Spot on time. A swift cross platform interchange saw us go from a crowded 3-car multiple unit to a far more expansive locomotive hauled train run by Polish railways (PKP).
14:45.
We’re currently stopped at Kierunek, where a posse of Polish Immigration officers and military have checked everyone’s passports. We’re in the territory of the Suwalki gap, which has gained greater significance since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
16:15.
Polish railways are like stepping back in time. We’ve not seen anything like this in the UK since the 1980s. Imagine a loco-hauled train of half a dozen coaches – one of which is a buffet car! Said buffet car serves freshly cooked meals from pans. None of this ‘prick and ping’ microwave stuff! At Suwalki we stopped for a good 20 minutes so the the engine could run round the train. Now we’re bowling through the countryside along a railway followed by telegraph poles.
The buffet car counter on my Polish train.Arrived. We had an engine change from diesel to electric at Bialystok where this modern EU160 was attached for the final leg.
It took me 25 minutes to walk to my hotel in central Warsaw, partly because the place was packed with people. It being Friday night a lot of young people were out on the town. The city certainly seems to have a vibrant nightlife, although as a solo traveller that’s not something I’m partaking of. Instead, it was a trip to the local Lidl to stock up on food for the kitchenette I share with another room at the hotel, have a video call with Dawn, then work at my desk sorting out pictures. Unfortunately, the hotel wifi’s a bit flaky, which is hindering these updates. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.
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Sadly, the weather’s let me down today. I’ve been really lucky everywhere I’ve been up to now, there was an evening shower in Tallinn, but the next day was fabulous. I was looking forward to exploring Vilnius this morning, but the weather’s been crap. It’s been raining since I woke up at 07:00 so I decided to make the most of the facilities where I’m staying (I have a great room with a desk and a kitchenette) to catch up on editing some of the pictures from the last 9 days travels.
I’ve now cleared my French collection, which can be found on my Zenfolio picture website. The railway ones are here and the travel ones here.
The weather’s slowly clearing. The forecast is that the rain will stop by mid afternoon, which is when I’ll head off into the old town. I did nip out to the station earlier to have a quick look at the adjacent railway museum and check out picture opportunities before I leave for Warsaw on the 12:20 tomorrow. Here’s a couple of pictures for now.
It’s fair to say that (being outdoors) some of the exhibits at the railway museum are looking a little the worse for wear. Like this ChME3 class heavy shunting locomotive! At the station I found this ER20 class “Eurorunner” from Siemens. Originally bought to work freight trains, they now find themselves on passenger services, like this one – the 12:35 to Klaipėda.
OK, the rain seems to have stopped, so I’m off exploring…
18th September update.
I was conned! the rain didn’t clear up until nearly 16:00! Still, I had chance to explore more of the railway station before heading off into the old town, brolly in hand. Vilnius is quite hilly, which makes walking more exerting than in Riga, but it’s rewarding because (like Tallinn) you never know what you’re going to find when you peek round corners and into doorways. There’s a lot of restoration work going on in the old town, parts of which can be quite rundown. Even so, it’s an attractive town with some great architecture. It didn’t really come to life until after 17:00 when – with the rain having stopped – all the restaurants and bars but their tables and chairs out in the streets. There was even a huge screen in one square that was showing opera in the evening.
Here’s a few pictures.
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For the first time on this trip I’ve not actually been travelling anywhere. Instead I’ve had a full day in Riga. I have to say I’ve been really impressed with the city. There’s so much to see and do here. It has fantastic architecture, a huge market (both indoor and outdoor) and a really interesting transport network which includes trams, trains and trollybuses. There’s far too much to mention in a blog, so today’s is going to be picture based.
There’s a huge outdoor market in central Riga where stallholders sell fruit and veg, clothing and bric-a-brac. Inside one of the Riga Central Market halls. There’s five of these large buildings (although a couple are now empty) which were constructed in 1930 from old Zepplin sheds. Integreted transport as a train passes the coach terminal. The new standard gauge Rail Baltica station takes shape next to the existing Riga railway station.Architecture in the old town.The Freedom Monument. A 42m tall statue dedicated to Latvians who lost their lives fighting for independence between 1918 & 1920.Soldiers on duty at the Freedom monument. 6 of them rotate the duty, doing one hour on and two hours off. The old town is a Baroque delight!
I’m back on the move again tomorrow, heading to Vilnius in Lithuania where I’ll be taking another break.
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Right now I’m on my way from Tallinn to Riga by train with one change at a place called Valga.
I was up early this morning to make the most of my last few hours in Tallinn. Breakfast was included at my hotel, so I was filling up on rice, eggs and a bean stew just after 07:00 in a cast but empty room.The weather had changed today. We had bright sunshine and cloudless skies which I was determined to make the most of – as you’ll see in pictures I’ll post later. Here’s a tip. If you want to experience Tallinn at its most peaceful and get pictures that do it justice -get out early. The tourist hordes start appearing by 8AM. Before that you almost have the streets to yourself.
I wandered for a couple of hours with no real plan where to go, other than on a whim. It was brilliant! I love exploring like thia as you’ve no idea what you’re going to find.
My train left at 10:18 but I made sure I was there in plenty of time to get a few pictures. The Valga service is worked by a modern Stadler built diesel unit which is more configured for local services with 3+2 seating and no plug sockets, although it does have wifi. It’s perfectly comfortable – just Spartan. Seat reservations are required but pointless as the cars aren’t numbered and nor are the seats.
I’ve saved a day on my Interrail pass by buying a local 2nd class ticket which works out cheaper. There’s not much difference between 1st and Standard Class on these trains anyway.
The trips been interesting as I’ve been able to see Rural Estonia. It’s heavily wooded and the variety of trees would keep a tree spotter very happy as it’s not just fir plantations, there’s plenty of deciduous trees like silver birch too. Housing is quite scattered with traditional wooden bungalows contrasting with small villages where the homes are more substantial. It’s quiet everywhere.
The railway’s seeing a lot of changes. ‘Rail Baltica’ construction work is obvious near Tallin, whilst the existing line’s seeing rural stations having platforms extended. Other locations are getting stations for the first tine.
One stop was Tapa, ehich vontained a preserved Soviet era steam loco and decaying station buildings. Akso, acres of empty freight sidings which presumably would have been full of freight traffic to/from Russia before Putin’s ‘3 day war’ in Ukraine which has now lasted longer than the ‘great patriotic war’ against Nazi Germany. Tapa still boasts a wagon repair shops and train stabling, which mark its importance.
12:15.
Since we called at Tamsalu we’ve been crawling along. Some times no faster than walking pace. This single-track section of line’s being electrified and having new signalling installed, which is affecting performance. I only hope this has been factored in to the journey time!
13:00.
We’ve made it as far as Tartu, which is as far as the new Southwards electrification will reach. A lot of passengers detrained here, which led to a pleasent discovery. This train does have plug sockets! They’re under the small tables in seating bays of four on the raised floor areas of each vehicle. That’s a relief as my phone battery was down to 50%.
15;05.
Despite the engineering work along the line we arrived in Valga spot on time. Our connecting train had arrived in the platform a few seconds before! The cross-platform interchange was easy. My new conveyance is rather more upmarket than the last as it has at seat catering services and is altogether more plush, with more tables (including backseat ones). I took advantage of the menus offered to me by one of the two young lady hostesses to order a black coffee (not bad) and a cinnamon bun. It set me back a grand total of three Euros fifty!
From this Estonian unit to…– this Lithuanian one, which works the international service from Varga through Riga to Vilnius.
Whilst this train’s more upmarket, I’m not sure about the ride quality. I’m sat in the same position I was on the earlier train and this one’s ‘hunting’ a lot. The 730m type are built by PESA of Poland whilst my earlier train was built by Stadler of Switzerland. Of course, the problem could just be the track. I can’t judge if Latvian railways have had the same level of investment that Estonia is seeing.
Another difference is that this train seems to be an ‘all stops’ service, which isn’t a problem. In some ways it makes it more interesting – as does the weather, which has turned into a mix of sunshine and showers! The countryside’s becoming more diverse too. It’s still heavily forested, but far more undulating, causing the railway to twist and turn.
23:00.
It’s time to close this blog. I’m now in Riga which is a world away from Tallinn, but fascinating in another way. I’ll explain more in tomorrow’s blog. I’ve two nights here, which is a luxury. Admittedly, the place I’m staying in isn’t luxurious – but it has a washing machine! I’ve now got a weeks worth of dirty clothes clean – even if my room resembles a Chinese laundry. I’m really looking forward to having time to explore tomorrow, knowing that I’m prepped for the next leg of the trip. In the meantime here’s the first few pictures from Riga.
These Soviet era diesel trains are still in use on some services. The DR1 design dates back to 1963 although this unit wasn’t built until after the collapse of the soviet union. The sides of the DR1A catch the evening sunlight.The eastern bloc feel continues on the streets where these Tatra T3 trams (a design dating back to 1960) are still in operation.
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The ferry from Stockholm to Tallinn was a great way to travel and a fascinating experience in people-watching. This wasn’t just a ferry, it’s more a cruise. There were live shows aboard, multiple restaurants, a piano bar and a massive duty-free shop which was doing a roaring trade as Swedes stocked up on cheap booze. Mind you, it wasn’t just Swedes or Estonians aboard. I was surprised to find groups of Chinese, Japanese and even Indian tourists travelling.
I didn’t join in the partying. Instead I retreated to my cabin for a good night’s sleep. The ferry was large enough that there was no pitching and rolling or feeling of being out at sea so a good night’s sleep was easy.
The Baltic Queen in Tallinn.
We arrived at Tallinn at 11:00. Sadly, the sunshine that’s followed me most of the trip decided to abandon me today. Tallinn had seen a downpour and residual but intermittent rain remained. For some that was no bad thing because when I walked into town I encountered the runners of the Tallinn marathon!
Marathon running. Not something you want to be doing in blazing heat.Encouragement. I’m not sure of the relevance of the dinosaur tho’..
As I had a couple of hours to kill before I could check into my hotel I watched the runners, many of whom had clearly come from all across Europe to take part. Next, I popped over to the railway station to check out the place before catching my train tomorrow. Sadly, Estonian railways has modernised their fleet in recent years. All that was around were modern diesel and electric multiple units. Good for passengers, but not so interesting from an enthusiasts perspective.
Passenger operator Elron uses modern Stadler ‘Flirt’ trains in Estonia.
Finally, it was time to get to my hotel in the old town, and it didn’t disappoint. The St Olav hotel’s a refurbished neoclassical building dating from 1437 with a quirky interior but comfortable rooms. It’s a great base from which to explore the old town, which is delightful.
You can’t beat a quirky vintage hotel.My room
I’ve enjoyed exploring Tallin, a medieval town with amazing buildings and streets which are full of nooks and crannies. Unsurprisingly, it can get very busy during the day with tourists – especially when cruise ships are visiting, but in the evening it’s much quieter which makes it a great time to explore. Here’s a few shots from my wanderings.
Not a menu for veggies. I don’t think I’ve ever seen somewhere with Elk on the menu before.A backstreet Italian restaurant. The rain returned this evening. Which always makes for good reflective pictures, especially now the streets are quiet. The remains of the old city walls.
I’ve enjoyed my day in Tallinn, it’s a gorgeous place rich in history. I’d certainly come back, but tomorrow I’m on the move again. This time to Riga in Latvia.
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Excuse the lateness of posting this but it’s been a long day and it’s still before noon here in Sweden. I left Copenhagen early this morning after a day full of memories – even if they were bittersweet. This was my first visit in 22 years and the last time I was there was for the funeral of a friend. Where’s the time gone? The city’s certainly changed a bit. Not Christianshavn where we used to stay, but certainly along the river, where there’s lots of new developments. Even so, it’s still a lovely city with a liberal soul. Being up late meant that I discovered new pictures like this.
In some ways I’d have liked to have lingered longer, but as I don’t have the same connections to the city anymore I was content to move on and explore new territory, which is what I did. One of the early morning trains was heading for a place in Sweden called Kalmar, which was on the end of a branch line to the coast. I thought, ‘that sounds good to me’, plonked myself in the train and promptly fell asleep!
Several hours later I woke up surrounded by Swedish forests and lakes. I now understand why the Swedes make so much wooden furniture – there’s no shortage of trees! Kalmar was a lovely little place that would be worth exploring more, if I’d had the time. Having had a short wander to get pictures of the shoreside castle I was back on another train. This was like stepping back in time too. four old coaches hauled by an equally old loco. That said, there was 1st Class and it was equipped with power sockets and wifi.
Kalmar castle on the shores of the town. These electric locos date from 1985 but the styling makes them look a lot older.
Having retraced my steps to Alvesta I’m now on a sleek modern express heading for Stockholm…
13:30.
Bugger! We’re currently stuck at a place called Linköping. The Train Manager has announced that there’s a ‘problem with a bridge’ further down the line. I’m assuming this means that a railway bridge has been hit by a road vehicle, a not uncommon event back in the UK. Good job I’m in no hurry to get to Stockholm. On the bright side, there’s free tea, coffee and snacks in 1st Class on these trains. Despite the fact we’ve been sat here for around 30 minutes now there’s a distinct lack of complaining form my fellow passengers. If this was the UK the tutting level would have reached ‘severe’ by now.
My 1st Class coach.
14:41.
We’re still stuck! Many passengers are out on the platform, making the most of the sun. Unlike Brits who’d be sucking on fags or vapes quite a few passengers are doing calisthenics or taking the time to get some steps in! We’ve still no idea when we’re going to be on the move. Other trains are trapped here too. Only a couple of local services have come and gone, but they’re all heading South.
15:23.
We’re finally on the move!
15:40.
Whilst it’s good not to be stationary anymore our pace is best described as ‘pedestrian’ so I’ve no idea when we’re likely to arrive in Stockholm. I’m not expecting to get much sightseeing done today unfortunately. That’s a shame as I’ve never been here before, but that’s life. This trip was always going to be a taster – I’d just hoped the taste wouldn’t be this tantalising! Even so, I’m enjoying the trip. From what I’ve seen so far, Sweden looks lovely, with pretty little villages and lots of brightly painted wooden houses with red being the favourite colour.
We’ve just departed from Norrköping, a busy station that once has extensive freight yards, although most are now lifted or disused although some goods traffic still remains. There’s also an old steam era locomotive roundhouse tucked away in a corner, but I can’t tell if it’s still used for anything.
A useful feature in these 1st Class coaches is the amount of plug sockets provided. I’m in an airline seat and there’s two sockets between the seats and two in the back of the seats in front, which gives me the opportunity to power up the laptop and recharge my camera battery at the same time. I rather like these X2000 trains. They may only be 5-cars long but they still have a buffet as well as the little refreshment station in 1st class.
Free tea and coffee – and healthy snacks. Well, if you ignore the chocolates!
21:15.
And relax! We finally made it to Stockholm and I wasted no time in getting to my hotel. Or should that be ship – as that’s what I’m staying on. Rygerfjord is a collection of three ships that have been converted into a bar, Thai restaurant and floating accommodation. The cabins are cosy but offer a fantastic views of Stockholm from their moorings. Their Thai food is pretty good too! Here’s a few pictures.
The view from the floating jetty between the two housboats.This is the view from my cabin, looking at the main boat which contains the bar and restaurant. The stir-fry vegetables with chicken and rice was really rather good. There’s 20% discount for guests.
Right, it’s been a very long day – so I’m off to bed. I want to try and see at least a bit of Stockholm tomorrow before I’m on a different boat – the ferry to Tallin, Estonia….
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Another day, another city. As I was late arriving in Hamburg I haven’t had chance to explore more than the area I’m staying in, which is functional, but not very attractive. I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to see before I leave, but Hamburg tourism wasn’t high on my agenda for this trip, it was more a useful stopover on my way elsewhere.
Today I travel across unfamiliar territory to a city I once knew very well 20 odd years ago. Back then, Lynn (my first wife) and I had Danish friends who lived there. We’d often go over and stay with Didi, so we got to know the city well. Now, I’m the only one left out of the trio. I’ve not been back since Didi’s funeral, so I’ll be curious to see how much has changed.
Right now I’m leaving Hamburg aboard a rather nice Danish Railways DSB train formed of modern Talgo articulated coaches. I’ve grabbed a seat in the rear coach as there’s a little window at the back that allows you to see where you’ve come from. I’m hoping to use it for photographs later. Plus, there’s power sockets and wifi, so I can blog along the way. As this is a DSB service I’m hoping to avoid another DB farce like yesterday.
I didn’t see much of Hamburg, but then I didn’t expect to. Most of my time was spent taking pictures at the vast main station which is like a mini city in itself. I’d certainly return to Hamburg. Whilst the area around the station can be a bit seedy it looks like an interesting place that’s seeing a lot of investment in infrastructure. The cities international links can be seen through the trains that serve it. Earlier I watched a Czech train arrive on it’s way to Budapest, Hungary! If I hadn’t already got plans I’d have been sorely tempted…
The main hall, which is a rather impressive steel and iron shopping centre
Just as I was settling in for the journey every phone in the coach went off, including mine. It was the Germans testing their national alert system!
11:50.
The trip’s going well so far (touch wood). We’ve juts passed through Neumunster, a small town with a large railway works of the sort we lost in the UK many years ago. All sort of DB vehicles appear to be repaired or refurbished here. There’s still a lot of freight traffic too. Once thing I’ve noticed is the number of solar and wind farms we’ve passed so far. They’re a real sign of investment in clean energy. The countryside itself isn’t that exciting. It’s pretty flat but is obviously good farming country with a variety of uses. Maize seems to be a popular crop around here.
12:10.
OK. I take it back about the countryside being flat! We’ve just passed over the 1913 Rendsburg high bridge which crosses the Kiel canal at a height of more than 40 meters. It’s a very impressive structure I’d love to come back and photograph!
12:43.
Having made our first stop at Schleswig I decided to have a wander through the train. It’s packed, with lots of people standing. Heading to the rear was a wise move! Sadly, there’s no buffet car, just the standard Danish vending machines offering tea, coffee, fizzy drinks and sugar rushes.
Now the train’s even more packed with the last few available seats in the rear car taken.
15:15.
Having crossed ove into Denmark at Padborg we had a prefunctory passport check. No-one actually looked at passports in our car at least. Danish Immigration officrs just stuck their heads in and looked around!
Niw we’re only a short distance from Copenhagen, having crossed between a number of islands by bridge or tunnel. It’s been an interesting trip. A lot of investment seems to be going into the railways, including building new lines. There’s quite a bit of freight around too, including pocket wagons carrying HGV trailers, which is good to see. The weather’s picked up too with lots of sunshine around. Shame I’m only here overnight…
The further
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Having had an early night I was up with the larks at 06:15 this morning in order to make the most of the day and the opportunity to explore some of Lille sans suitcase. Some of the architecture in the city centre is stunning. I’ll add pictures later.
I left on the 09:08 to Tournai in Belgium. It’s advertised as an SNCF service but it’s actually worked by a Belgian train and crew. The journey was just over 20 minutes but it was rich in interest due to the countryside and the rail scene. At Tournai I transferred to a loco-hauled double-deck train which will be my home for the next two hours until I change again at Brussels Airport. Whilst this train’s comfortable (and I almost have the top deck of a car to myself) it’s a bit retrograde. Belgian railways gaven’t really got the hang of step-free access. Plus, there’s no power points or Wifi in this coach.
Ready to go. Lille Flandres station.Level boarding? Nope…
Hopefully, when I transfer to an Intercity service at Brussels I’ll be able to add far more yo thus blog but right now everything’s being done on my smartphone, so I’m busy taking paper notes instead.
13:00.
I’m back, thanks to DB (German railways) wifi. As I type this my train is pulling out of Aachen en-route to Cologne. This has been a fascinating trip today but I’m running slightly later than planned due to missing a very tight connection at Brussels airport. To be honest, it worked to my advantage as I had to retrace my steps to Brussels Nord station which is a wonderful example of 1930s architecture. that said, I’ve also passed through a modern version at Liege. On the way from Lille I passed through a little town with a name that will delight the English sense of humour. Silly – no, really!
Belgian railways were a bit of a blast from the past. Back in 2004-2005 I was a regular traveller around the country on daft railtogurs with a group of friends. Organised by a group of Brits under the banner of Mercia Railtours they took us to all sorts of strange and wonderful places in strange and wonderful trains.
The ICE I’m on is full so I’ve nowhere to charge stuff up, which is a bit of a problem when you have an e-ticket on your Smartphone – hence my silence. I’ll be arriving in Koln in the next 20mins, after which I’m hoping to find space on an ICE to Hamburg and blog from there. Watch this space….
17:00.
I’m back! Right now I’m on ICE108 from Cologne to Hamburg, only it’s not going to Hamburg. Apparently it’s being terminated at Bremen and we’ve got to get a local cart to go to our final destination. Today’s been a great example of the best the railway can offer (no, not you German railways) – and also the changes that need to be made for the future. Problems and missed connections aside, I’ve had a great day. I’m exploring parts of Germany I’ve never seen before. I just wish I had more time to stop off and get pictures, but then this trip was always going to be a ‘reccie’ for the future.
When I get settled in Hamburg tonight (wifi permitting) I’ll add a few pictures.
Whilst I may be critical of DBs timekeeping I can’t really fault their 1st Class offering. They still have buffet cars on ICE services that offer a range of food and drinks – and table service.
17:10.
A standard DB farce. We’ve been stuck at Diepholz for over over 20 minutes now. The idea that we’re going to connect with said cart to Hamburg is long gone. Whilst the staff are doing their best to placate people, they’re not actually explaining what the problem is. That said, at least they’re doing it in a range of languages…
At least we were let off the train to get some fresh air.
Day 3 update.
Having cancelled our train at Diepholz we were all loaded onto a following ICE service for the journey to Hamburg, only that never made it to the Hauptbahnhof. Instead it terminated in the suburbs at Harburg, where we were told to get the metro into town!
By the time I made it into town all I wanted to do was get to my hotel and crash for the night, which is what I did, hoping for a better day on Thursday. The once mighty Deutsch Bahn had let me down again.
Anyways, here’s a couple of pictures from the day.
Lille shopfrontThe ornate clocktower of Lille’s chamber of commerce. The main hall of Brussels Nord station
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I’m on my way folks! The trip’s got off to a slightly rocky start. Late last night we had a torrential rainstorm, this led to the frustrating discovery that the cottage roof is leaking – despite us spending £1000 to get it repaired only a few months ago. It’s too late for me to do anything about it, so I’ve had to leave poor Dawn to contact the roofers and sort it out (so sorry, Dawn x). It’s not quite the start I’d hoped for as it wasn’t exactly conducive to a good nights sleep for either of us.
This morning the alarm went off at 05:45, blurgh! Having had a caffeine fix whilst I finished packing Dee drove me down to Halifax station to bid farewell. Now I’m on the first train of the trip – the 07:16 from Halifax to Leeds which is formed from one of the old West Yorkshire PTE Class 158s. Despite the early hour it’s a busy train full of commuters heading into the city.
I’m slowly managing to master the intricacies of my Interrail pass app on the phone, activated it and generated a ticket. I’m sure I’ll be fluent in its use by the end of the trip, I just hope I don’t hit some of the app glitches that I’ve read about. Or, if I do I have a sympathetic ‘gripper’ (ticket inspector) when I do!
I’m looking forward to trying a variety of different types of trains as I travel around Europe. I’m sure I might find some as old as this 1980s class 158, but also some rather more modern and up to date vehicles too. Let’s see what happens.
My first train of the trip. 158904 pauses at Leeds before heading off to Hull.
08:15.
My time in a damp Leeds was brief. I had long enough to get a quick shot of my train before heading over the footbridge to platform 8 to catch my LNER service to London which consisted of a pair of Hitachi built ‘Azuma’ Class 801s. I’m now happily ensconced in 1st Class, sipping coffee and looking forward to the breakfast service! my coach (K) is split 50/50 between 1st and Standard class. 1st is quiet, with only a handful of other passengers other than me – although several other seats are reserved en-route.
There are worse ways to travel…
09:15.
We’ve just sped through Grantham (the best way to see it perhaps). Having scoffed a bacon roll at 125mph I’m now enjoying watching the scenery flash past the window. Summer seems to be over now. The skies are gloomy and the light flat. Hopefully I’ll find better weather in Europe. 1st Class has filled up en-route, I’d say we’re about 60% full now, which isn’t bad for a Tuesday.
11;00.
The closer we got to the capital the worse the weather became. I’m glad I made a last minute decision to pack a brolly as I’m going to need it! fortunately, it’s only the work of a couple of minutes to transfer between Kings Cross and St Pancras. Plus, if it’s really hammering it down you can do the transfer via the subway. Now I’m sat on this 140mph chariot for a a trip along HS1 (High Speed 1) to Ashford, then on the traditional lines via Folkestone to Dover.
The last UK leg to Dover…
11:30.
We’ve arrived at Ebbsfleet International in Kent, having sped underneath London and across Essex. I still have to pinch myself sometimes as I documented HS1 being built when I lived in London. You can find the gallery of pictures here. Now, years later I’m documenting HS2 being built. I don’t travel this route often enough. I’ve not done it for a couple of years. The way residential building is taking over from industry to the East of London is quite a surprise. Gone are massive factory complexes like Ford in Dagenham. Now there’s more blocks of flats than commercial premises. It’s only along the banks of the Thames that industry hangs on.
14:45.
Well, that was interesting. The journey across Kent to Dover was painless – if rather wet and misty, which hardly showed off the ‘Garden of England’ at its best. Then you arrive at Dover – which (not to mince words) a bit of a shithole! I had time on my hands so elected to walk to the ferry terminal, accompanied by one of the local vagrants who just wanted someone to talk to (and ask for spare change). Nowadays the port is just one vast car and lorry park with all the glamour you’d expect from acres of concrete and tarmac. Boat trains arriving into Dover Marine station for a fast transfer onto a ferry are long gone. Now, if you’re a P&O foot passenger you’re advised to arrive 90 minutes before your ferry departs. Now I know why. I was one of only six foot passengers who joined the 13:35 bus for the 15:05 ferry. This takes you from the Eastern docks all the way to the Western docks where you go through passport control in a new building in the middle of a desolate lorry park. Then you get back on the bus for a circular tour before being driven back to the Eastern docks. There you get waved through customs befor your bus sits next to the ferry as it disgorges a seemingly endless stream of HGVs and other vehicles. Finally, the bus drives onto the ferry to deposit you by a staircase on the car deck, 35 minutes after you got on!
The bright side is you’re first on the ferry so have chance to explore whilst it’s empty!
A string of ferries ready to depart. Well, not the furthest. That’s an Irish Ferries ship that seems to be lost!
15:20.
It’s bye-bye Septic Isle…
My ferry’s sailed in bloody awful weather. The white cliffs of dover disappered in the rain within a minute of clearing the Dover harbour breakwater. The ferry is still eeriely quiet too which is rather a surprise. I’d have thought it would have been much busier. A tanny announcement earlier mentioned there were only a few hundred passengers aboard – including 105 lorry drivers, which gives an idea of the size of this ferry. Apparently the ‘P&O Liberte’ is over 42,000 gwt and can carry 1,500 passengers. I’m not sure it’s earning its keep on this crossing.
18:30.
Bonjour from Calais! Remember I said we were first on the ferry at Dover? There’s a downside to the system. We were the last one’s off at Calais. Thankfully, a funky little free ekectric bus runs between the ferty terminal and Calais Ville station which git mere there just in time to catch my train to Lille. I was sorely tempted to gang around to get pictures as I’ve not been to Calais for donkey’s years, but a hotel and food beckons…
My first European train of the trip…
The train was packed with young people as far as the first stop at Audricio. I’m assuming it was the school run. The wet and windy weather that dogged my trip across the channel has abated. The skies are clearing with the occaisional hint of blue sky and sunshine. Whilst this train’s a local service it’s very comfortable, with low doors, a variety of seating and plenty of space for cycles and wheelchairs. The automated announcements are multi-lingual. English racists would hate it!
19:00.
Our latest stop is Saint Omer, which has a huge (and very impressive) old station building. I’ve bever been here before but if I had time I’d certainly stop off to have a look. This area of France is criss-crossed by a multitude of canals and waterways, but (unlike the Norfolk Broads) the terrain is more undulating.
23:00 (French time).
From this point on I’ll be using the local time of whatever country I’m in. Right now I’m resting in my hotel in Lille afrer a long day. Having checked in earlier I went for a aander with the camera. I’d forgotten what an attactive town centre Lille has. There’s some gorgeous buildings that put nany UK cities to shame. Flandres station is lovely too. I spent a while there once night had fallen in order to get pictures. I’d planned to add some to this blog but I’ve decided to call it a night and have a longer day tomorrow. I’ll add some in the morning instead.
So, here’s the end of day 1. I’ll be blogging throughout day 2 as I’ll be covering a lot of miles. Tomorrow’s overnight stop will be in Hamburg, Germany.
And it’s goodnight from me. Welcome to Lille…
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Paul Bigland 